Steaming board



Sept. 27, 1932. BEEDE 1,879,033

r STEAMING BOARD 4 Original Filed Nov. 26, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet l Sept. 27, 1932.

H. G. BEEDE STEAMING BOARD Original Filed Nov. 26. 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I My Se t. 27, 1932 H. G. BEEDE 1,879,033

STEAMING BOARD Original Filed Nov. 26, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Mvnvron Wirnsss Original application med November as, 1928, Serial and. 322,011. Divided and.

Patented Sept. 27, 1932 =UN1TED IS'TIATES- PATENTVOF FICE HERBERT e, BEEDE, .OFPAWTUGKET, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO PANTEX PRESSIN'G MACHINE, INCL, OF PAWTUGKET,,RHODE ISLAND, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE srnmme Bonn February 8, 1930.

This invention relates to a steaming board adapted to be used individually or in connection with a garment pressing machine for applying steam to the garment or other fabric upon or in proximity to the surface of the steaming board for moistening and softening said garment or fabric preparatory to pressin' shaping or other treatment thereof as set orth in my pending application Seerial No. 322,011, filed November 26, 1928, of which this application is a division.

The invention also contemplates means for expeditiously removing the moisture from the garment or other fabric following the moistening, pressing and shaping operations for drying purposes.

These steaming boards when used in connection with garment pressing machines'of the class'set forth in my Patent No. 1,661,153, dated March 6, 1928, are commonly known as bucks but when used individually or in connection with the pressing machine they are preferably provided with a heating chamber and a steam distributing chamber, the heating chamber being constantly supplied with steam for maintaining a proper temperature of the buck or steaming element while the distributing chamber is preferably supplied with steam from some available source of supply at the will of the operator and is provided with steam exits through its top wall for liberating the steam to the garment or fabric on the upper surface of the steaming element.

One of the objects of the invention, however, is to divide this distributing chamber into separate compartments and to provide simple and efficient means under the control of the operator whereby the steam may be distributed through the surfaces of all of the com artments simultaneously or through the surface of one of the compartments independently of the others thus permitting economic conservation of the steam, particularly when operating upon small garments or small portions of large garments when only a relatively small portion of the surface area of the steaming element is required. I e

A further object is .to provide simple and i this application filed Serial 0. 425,512.

efficient means under the control of the operator for withdrawing the steam'and moisture from the surfaces of all ofthe compartments simultaneously orfrom the surface of one of the compartments only acupon for moistening purposes;

The supply of steam to the plural compartcording to the nature of the work operated ments is controlled by one valvewhile the.

may be cut off by another valve and the exsupply of steam to one ofthe'compartments haust of the steam from all or one of the compartments is controlled by a third valve and all of these three valves are controlled by sepa-' rate pedals through the medium of separate connections hereinafter more fully described and one of the objects of the present invention' is to construct and assemble these pedals in such manner that they may be individually operated in the same order from either side of the machine without necessitating the changing of position of the operator.

Another object is to'enable-the pedal which controls the cut-out valve for one of'the compartments to be operated simultaneously with either the steam controlling pedal or the exhaust controlling pedal.

Other objects and uses relating to specific parts of the machine will be brought out in the following description.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a fabric moistening and drying machine embodying the various features of my invention. j j

Figure2, is a horizontal sectional view of the steaming board or buck taken in the plane of line 22, Figure 1. a

Figure 3 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical sectional view through one endof the steaming board taken in the plane. of line 3-3, Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an enlargedtop plan of the pedals in their operative relation for controlling the steam supply valve, the steam exhaust valve and the cuteout valve.

Figure 5 is an end view of the several pedal levers and their supporting shafts, together with the adjacent -yokes and crankarms on a Figure 6 is an end view of one shaft and reversely arranged pedals, together with the adjacent parts of the means for transmittingmotion from said pedals to the exhaust valve:

Figure 7 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken in the plane of line 7-7, Figure 8. Figure 8 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view partly broken away, takenin the plane of line 88, Figure 5.

The steaming board or buck -1- may be mounted in a substantially horizontal position upon any suitable supporting frame or standard adapted to rest upon a floor or other support and comprises a hollow elongated element --2 of cast metal or equivaent material having a steam heated chamber -3 and a steam distributing chamber -4-, the member 2 bein tapered longitudinally to conform to the s ape of certain classes of clothing such as trousers, skirts and the like which are to be treated.

The steam heated chamber 3-- is disposed in a plane beneath the steam distributfrom the wider end to the narrower end of the steaming board and return through the other compartment to the end of the partition adjacent the wider end of the steaming board for the purpose of maintaining uniform distribution of the steam heat throughout the area of the steam heated chamber.

The end of the partition 5-- adjacent the wider end of the steamin board is provided with a rearwardly exten ing transverse partition -6-- united to the rear wall of the eating chamber -3-- or rear compartment thereof to form the adjacent end wall of the rear compartment and thereby to cut ofi direct communication between said rear compartment and wider end-of the heating chamber, said transverse partition -6-- being arranged spaced relation to the wider end wall of the heating chamber to form what may be termed the steam receiving end or supplemental compartment 7 of said chamber.

The wider end of the partition 5 is provided with a laterally projecting flange -8 having its front edge curved toward the smaller end of the steaming board and in spaced relation to the front wall of the steam heated chamber -3-- to form a connecting passage --9 between the supplemental compartment --7- and front compartment of said chamber, as shown more clearly in Figure 2.

Steam is admitted to the supplemental compartm'ent 7.- throu h an inlet opening '10 in the bottom t ereof, said opening being connected by a pipe to any available source of steam supply.

The partition -6 is provided with an o ening '-6 in its bottom thereof some distance to the rear of the openings 10-' and -15 to allow drainage of the water from the chamber 7---v into the sump -14.

The wider end wall of the steam heated chamber ,.3 is provided with a relatively short inwardly projecting central len hwise partition lk terminating some istance from the adjacent end of the partition -5 soas to form an intervening steam passage -l3 connecting the supplemental chamber 7-- with the corresponding end of the partment adjacent the transverse partition -6 is disposed some distance below the bottom of the remaining portions of the chamber -3- to form what may be termed a sump chamber -14-- for receiving water of condensation and any foreign matter-or impurities carried thereby.

' The bottom of the sump chamber is rovided with a drainage outlet 15- to wiiich is connected to any uitable source of discharge, not shown, t e bottom wall of the chamber -3 bein preferably inclined from the narrower en of the steaming board toward the sump chamber -14 to facilitate the drainage of water of condensation from the chamber -3.

The partition--5 is provided near the bottom wall of the chamber --3 with longitudinally spaced transverse -o enings -17- to permit steam to pass theret rough from the front compartment to the rear compartment in addition to the passage'of the steam around the end of the partition adjacent the narrower end of the steaming board thus obtaining a more-rapid and'uniform distribution of the steam throughout the area of the steam heated chamber for quickly heating the walls of the chamber.

i The partitions -5, 6- and --12 and also the top wall of the chamber -3--'are preferably formedintegral with the element The steam distributing chamber --4- ifiiformed in the upper side of the element -2- along the longitudinal center thereof and is relatively narrow transversely but extends the major portion of the length of said element, and, therefore the major portion of the length of "the underlying portion ofthe chamber 3-- so that the top wall of the heating chamber forms the bottom wall ofthe distributing chamber.

It, herefore, follows that the steam entering the distributing chamber will be heated to approximately the temperature of the steam in the heating chamber -3- which is desirable in machines of this character for reducing the moisture content of the steam which is applied to the articles to be treated.

The distributing chamber -4- is provided with a substantially. flat and rectangular top wall or plate -19- preferably of sheet metal substantially co-extensive with the area of said chamber exceptthatitsmarginal edges extend beyond the walls of the chamber and are secured by screws or equivalent fastenthe other compartment when operatin upon relatively small articles or small portions of larger articlesthus permitting the economic conservation of the steam and reducing the liability of escape of excessive steam into the room in which the machine is located.

This larger end of the partition -5 is provided with a' vertical opening --24-- extending through the bottom of the element a 27 in the lower wall of the --2 and connected by, a pipe -25- to a suitable exhaust device, presently described, the upper end of said opening 24- being in open communication with one end of a branch passage 26 having itsother end communicating with a depressed passage distributing chamber -4, as shown in Figure 3.

That is, the passage -27- is depressed below the level of theremaining portions of the distributing chamber '4-- while the branch passage 26 is depressed below the plane of the passage -27- so that the opening 24 leads from the lower part of the passage --26'-.

A horizontal partition plate -28 is secured by screws or other fastening means to the upperface of the top wall of the steam heated chamber 3 and extends to the end 'tive position? 7 of the chamber -,2- nearest the large end of the steamin chamber in spaced relation to and prefera ly parallelwith the overl ing portion of the top plate -19- so as to orm the bottom of the compartment as 4-- of the distributing chamber 4'. v v

The plate -28- forms the top wall of the passages -27- and 26 and is provided with an opening -30 registering with the inner enlarged and of the partition -+12- near the wider endof the steaming board,

baflie late 31--.-' is secured'to the upper face of 27- to extend across the upper an of t opening -j24--' and also to form a part of the top wall of the branch passage -26- which communicates with the passage -27- through an opening--32- at the inner end of the bafile plate 31-.- The partition --12 is provided with a vertical opening -33-'- in which is secured .a bushing -34--, Figure 3, the openin --33-- and bushing -34 being arrange in vertical alinement with the opening 30 of the element 2- across the adjacent portion of the chamber --3--.

The opening or port -30 serves to conmeet the adjacent end of the passage 27-' with the compartment 4'- of the distributing chamber .-47 and .is controlled by a .valve -35 which is movable in the upper end of the opening -33- -and adjacent portion of the'passage 27- as shown in Figure 3, for a purpose hereinafter described.

the bottom wall of the assage in the partition plate '28- and extending from the underside of the adjacent portion The portions of the bottom and top walls of the steam heated chamber -3-'between the adjacent ends of the partitions -5-- and 12-- are provided with vertically registering openings in which is tightly secured the hollow stem -36-- ofaizalve case -37 so that the valve stem may extend across the chamber 3-, the upper end of. the stem -36- being threaded and engaged in a threaded aperture in the upper wall of the chamber --3- while 'the lower end of said stem. is threaded and engaged by-a lock nut 38-' which, in turn, engages the lower face of the ad acent portlons of the member -'-2- to firmly hold the valve in opera- This valve caseis provided with two upright interior passages 39 and 40 separated by an upright partition 41-' w 1ch extends upwardly from the bottom of the valve case 37.

provided with an inlet irectly into the steam heated chamber --3-- not The upper end of the passage -39- is I port -42-- opening while the upper end of the other passage" -40- is provided with an outlet port 43' communicating directly with the adjacent portion of the passage 27, Figure 3.

The lower portion ofthe partition 41- is provided with a port--.44 connecting the adjacent portions of thepassages-'39- and 40- and controlled by a horizontal valve 45-, Figure 3, which is normally closed by a coiled spring --'46 and isadapted to be opened at'willbymechanism presently described.

Steaming means The valve 45 controls communication between the passages 39 and-40 and in view of the fact that steam is maintained in the chamber -3 forheating purposes it is evident that if the valve 45 is opened the steam from said chamber will pass from the passage 39- through the open port 44- and thence through the I passages and-43into the passage-27 and thence into-the distributing chamber --4 where it is free to escape through the perforated plate 19- to the article under treatment on the upper surface of the steaming escape to the compartment 4- through the outlet of the passage 27- at the corresponding side of the transverse partition which then prevents the passageof thesteam into the compartment 4! asshown'in my pending application.

4 Both of these valves -35 -and 4 5- and 7 also the exhaust controlling valve are under the control of the operator in a manner hereinafter describedand, it, therefore, follows that the steam may be directed to both of the compartmen s 4- and 4- simultaneously when the valves 35 and are opened but when the valve 35- is closed the steam from the chamber -3- 'Wlll be discharged only into the compartment -4.

Theportion of the bottom of the steam heated chamber -'3 immediately surrounding the valve stem -'-36 is made in the'form of a pyramid 36'- to break the capillary action or suction of water up through the valve 37-- and thereby assists in maintaining a substantially dry buck.

Each compartment 4 and -4 of the distributing chamber --4- controls about one-half of the surface of thesteaming board and inasmuch as the'valve -35 is used to.

cut off communication between the 'steam passage 27 and compartment 4'- it may be technically termed a half-valve in that it controls one-half of the steaming area while the other valve 45- may be termed the steaming valve "for the reason that it controls the supplyof steam to both of the compartments --4-and -4- when the valve ---.35- is opened or when the valve 35 is closed controls the supply of steam to the compartment 4-- independently of the compartment 4-.

The exhaust of the steam and moisture from'the article under treatment is also con trolledby a valve 47, Figure 1, under the control of the operator in a manner hereinafter described.

The self-closing valves 45- and 47 and the self-opening valve 35 are adapted-to be operated independently of each other or in certain combinations by somewhat similar mechanisms including a plurality of, in

this instance three, similar double pedal levers -'48- and 49 and centrally fulcrumed adjacent each other and having their opposite arms provided respectively with similar pedals marked S-, H and D- which are arranged in sequence but in reverse order at opposite sides of their fulcrums to enable the operator to selectively and sucoessively'operate the cor responding valves in the same order from either side the machine, as shown more clearly in Figure 1, and Figures 4 to 8 inclusive.

It may be stated here that the openings 17 and 6- in the partitions 5- and '6- respectively are made primarily .for

the purpose of connecting the cores for the adjacent chambers inthe process of casting the steaming board and incidentally serve as drainage openings to facilitate the drainage of water of condensation along the bottoms of the chambers 3 and-"F- to the sump chamber 14- and leading therefrom.

These pedal lever s 48-, 49- and 50- are respectively secured to the front ends of a corresponding number of longitudinally extending shafts 51-, 52 and -53- which are journaled in suitable bearings in the lower portion or base of the pedestal -2-, Figure 1.

'It will be noted upon reference to Figure rainage outlet 1'5- 4 that the pedal levers 48--, 49- and 50- are arranged insuch manner that the pedals S-, H- and -D- at the front side of the machine will be arranged in sequence from the right hand to the left hand of said machine while the corresponding pedals at the rear of the machine will be arranged in reverse order or from the left hand toward the right hand of the machine so that the pedals will be arranged in the same order with reference to the position of the operator at the front side or at the rear side of the machine, it being understood that the garments under treatment may be operated vupon with equal-facility from either side of the machine.

These pedal levers are preferably located in planes approximately midway between the front and rear sides and also approximately midway between the ends of the steaming board and together with the major portion of the steaming board are located in a vertical plane mainly at'the right hand side of the pedestal 2- so as to afford ample space between the pedals and steaming board for the manipulation of the pedal levers.

The shaft -51' upon which the pedal lever 48 is mounted is tubular to permit the passage of the shaft -53- therethrough and extends longitudinally through the major portion of the base of thepedestal -2- and is provided with oppositely projecting similar crank arms 54.- disposed in approximately the longitudinal and transverse vertical planes of or directly below the valve case -37 for engaging the opposite arms of a saddle yoke at opposite sides of the axis of the shaft.

The yoke 55 is provided with a central vertical slot 55- extending upwardly from the bottom thereof so as to straddle the shafts 51- and -5Q. said slot being extended upwardly a sufiicient distance above the shaft 52 to permit the necessary vertical movement of the yoke by'the rocking of the arms '-54-- without interfering with the shaft 52.

The side walls of the slot cooperate with opposite sides of the shaft -51 to guide the yoke -55 in its vertical movement and also to keep the outer ends of the opposite sides of the yoke in alignment with the ad jacent ends of the crank arms 54-, the opposite arms of the yoke 55- adjacent the hub of the arms 54 being slotted vertically from the bottom upwardly to receive said arms.

lt'is now evident that the downward pressure upon. either of the pedals S will effect a corresponding rocking movement of the tubular shaft 51- and crank arms 54- carried therebv and that this rocking movement in either direction of the crank arms -54 will effect a corresnondingvertical movement of the yoke 55-.

This yoke 55 is connected by a vertical rod 56 to one arm of a bell-crank lever 57 which is pivoted at 58 to the underside of the valve case 37-. as shown in Figure 3. and has its other end engaged with one end of another bell-crank lever 59-.

The lever 59 is pivoted at 59'- to the underside of the valve case 37- and its other shorter arm engaged with a plunger -60 which is guided in a bushing in the adjacent side of the valve case -37- in alinement with the valve -45 for opening said valve as the levers -57 and --59- are rocked about their respective pivots by the upward movement of the rod 56.

This opening movement of the valve -45- permits the passage of steam from the steam heated chamber 3-- into the chamber 27 and thence into the distributing chamber -4 throughout the entire area thereof to escape through the erforated top plate l9-- of the steaming board in the manner previously described.

' Half steaming The shaft -52- which controlsthe operation of the half-valve --35'j-, Figure 3, is disposed in a plane above or directly over the shafts --51 and53 and carries at one end the pedalends Hvvwhich are disposed in a vertical plane between the corresponding pedals '-S. and D whih normally are in a horizontal plane slightly above the adjacent pedals -S and D, as shown in- Figure 1, so that either of the pedals may be operated by the foot of the operator simultaneously with the operation of either of the pedals -S or .-D at the same side for closing the normally open valve 35- when it isdesired to cut off the supply of steam to one of the compart ments as 4- and to-supply steam to the other compartment as of the distributing chamber, thus permitting the use of approximately half of the surface of the steaming board for steaming relatively small garments or small portions of larger garments.

The other end of the shaft opposite the pedal end is provided with a pair of oppositely projecting crank arms 61 adapted to-engage opposite arms of a yoke 62 similar tothe yoke -55 but somewhat shorter vertically by reason of the fact that the shaft 52 is supported above the shaft 53-.

The yoke -62- is supported on the lower end of a vertically movable rod -63", Figure 1, and has its upper end provided with a head 64 having a vertical guide opening -64'-- therein for the reception of the lower end of a valve stem -65-- which carries at its upper end the half valve 35- as shown in Figure 7.

The valve stem -65- is yieldingly supported on the head 64 to allow a limited upward movement ofthe rod 63-and yoke 62 carried thereby after the valve --35- has been closed to assure a positive closing of the valve and for this purpose the valve stem ----65 is provided with a shoulder 66- and coiled springs -67- and 67'.

One of the springs -67 is interposed between the shoulder 66 and upper end of the head 64--' while the G7-- is interposed between said shoulder -66 and the lower end of the bushing 35-.

It is now clear that if it is desired to utilize only a part of the surface of the steaming board for steaming purposes asyfor example,

other spring III steam and moisture from the distributing the part which is registered with the compartment 4- either one of the pedals H.- may be depressed by the foot of the operator simultaneously with the adjacent 5 pedal -S thereby opening the valve and closing the valve -35-, the opening of the valve --45 serving to admit steam to the distributing compartment while the closing of the valve --35- will prevent the entrance of steam from the chamber -27- to the distributing compartment '4--, as previously explained.

Drying device A This drying device including the valv 7-- is controlled by the pedals -D- I through the medium-of the shaft -53- which extends from the pedals entirely through and beyond the tubular shaft 51- and is provided with oppositely projecting crank arms 68- adapted to engage the opposite arms of a yoke 69 similar to the yokes 55 and -62--. The yoke -69- is secured to the lower end of an upwardly projecting rod -70- having its upper end connected to a lever -71 which, in turn, is pivoted at -71- to a bracket on the valve case -47--, and has its other endadapted to engage the stem --72- of thevalve within the case -47-- for opening said valve when the rod -70 is'moved upwardly bythe turning movement of the shaft -53 in either direction. The valve case 47 and valve therein to a steam supply pipe -73-'to which steam may be supplied from any available source. The outlet side of the valve case --47 is connected by a pipe -74 to the inlet side 40 of a- T-pipe 75- having an exhaust pipe -76--ad apted to be connected to any suitable waste or, soil ipe, not shown.

This T-coupling is connected to the lower end of the exhaust pipe -25-- which, in turn, is connected to both com 'a'rtments -4'-- and 4 of "the distributing chamber'4 through the openings '-30 and -'27, Figure 3, .so that when the valve 47 is openedby one or the other of the corresponding pedals 'D steam will pass through the pipes -73=, and 74- and thence through the T-coupling 7 5- and outlet pipe -76- across the lower-end of the pipe 25-- thereby creating more or less suction in the pipe 25- to withdraw chamber i-. I

Or, if the steam'is used in the compartmbnt --4-- only for moistening-purposes the steam and moisture may be withdrawn therefrom independently of the compartment -4' by simply closing the valve 35+ simultaneously with the opening of the valve 47 which may be accomplished 65 by the simultaneous depression of adjacent is of the self-closing type and is connected pedals D and H by the foot of the operator.

Operation If, in the operation of the steaming board, it is desired to utilize the entire surface of the steaming board for moistening purposes it is simply necessary to depress one or the other of the pedals -S which through the medium of its connections with the plunger 60 will open the valve -45 thereby .4' it is simply necessary to depress one or the other of the pedals -S and the adjacent pedal H- which through the medium of its connections with the Valve -35 will cause said valve to close the port 30- thereby cutting off communication between the steam chamber -27- and steam distributing compartment --4'-, it being understood that the steam is then free to escape into the compartment -4- at the correspondingside of the transverse partition, the latter serving to prevent the passage of steam from the compartment -4-- to the compart- When it is desired to exhaust the steam and moisture from the article under treatment on the surface of the steaming board it is simply necessa 'to depress one or the other of the pedals which through the medium of its con ction with the valve -47 will open said valve, thereby allow ing the steam to discharge across the lower end of the exhaust ipe 35 for creating suction therein su cient to withdraw the steam and moisture from the distributing chamber -4 and to discharge the same thggllgh the pipe 76- of the T-coupling After the steam has been used in the compart-ment 4' only for moistening urposes one or the other of the pedals may be depressed simultaneously with the depression of the adjacent pedal -D for closing the valve --35, and thereby directing the suction entirely to the compartment I Owing to the fact that the pedals -H- are disposed in a plane slightly above and between the normal planes of the adjacent pedals -S- and D- it is evident that the pedal f-H- will be operated to close the valve'35- just ahead of the opening of the steaming controlling valve -45 or exhaust an Qua valve 47, this operation being of consid- I erable importance in the use of the machine for the reason that it is desirable to close the valve just preceding the admission of steam into the compartment 4 and for the further reason that it is desirable to close the valve -35-- just preceding the opening of the valve 47 for exhaust purposes.

Although I have described in detail the various parts of the garment steaming machine it will be evident that many of these details may be changed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim is: 1. The combination with a steaming board, a supporting base therefor, and a steam controlling valve of a valve operating rod reciprocally movable endwise vertically, a yoke secured to the lower end of the rod and provided with oppositely extending arms, a rocker shaft journaled on said base and movable about an axis intersecting the axisof the rod, said rock shaft being provided with crank arms extending in opposite directions therefrom along the arms of the yoke for engaging adjacent arms of said yoke as the shaft is rocked in reverse directions for moving the valve-operating rod in one and the same direction, and a pair of pedalssecured to and projecting laterally in opposite directions from the shaft for rocking said shaft in reverse directions.

2. The combination with a steaming board having a supporting base and a steam controlling valve, of a valve-operating rod reciprocally movable endwise vertically, a yoke I secured to the lower end of the rod and provided with oppositely extending arms, .a

rocker shaft journaled on said baseand movable about an axis intersectingthe axis of the rod and provided with crank arms extendin in opposite directions therefrom along t e arms of the yoke for engagingadjacent arms of the yoke as the shaft is rocked in reverse directions for moving the Valve operating rod in oneandthe same direction, and a pedal lever, secured. intermediate its ends to the rocker shaft to extend in opposite directions therefrom and having its outer ends rovided with pedalsfor rocking the shaft in reverse directionswhen either pedal is depressed. i Y

3. In a machine of the character described, a valve-operating rod reciprocally movable endwise and provided with out-bearings at opposite sides of its axis, a rock-shaft having oppositely projecting crank arms extending across said bearings for alternatively'engaging the latter as the shaft is rocked in reverse directions and thereby moving the rod endwise, and a pair of pedals secured to and projecting in opposite directions from the shaft for rocking said shaft in reverse directions.

4. In a machine of the character described, a valve-operating rod reciprocally movable endwise, a rock shaft extending across the axis of the rod and provided with oppositely projecting pedal arms having their pedals movable in different planes about the axis of the shaft for rocking the shaft in reverse directions andfmeans actuated by the movement of the shaft in either direction for movmg the rod endwise.

5. In a machine of the-character described, two valve-operating levers pivoted intermediate their'ends to rock about a common axis and; crossing each other so that their outer ends at opposite sides of their respective axes will be arranged in reverse order.

6. In a machine of the character described, two valve-operating levers pivoted intermediatetheir ends to rock about parallel axes controlling valves, of relatively rotatable coaxial rock-shafts mounted on thebase one Withinthe'other and each provided With a pair of oppositely projecting crank-arms and a pair of oppositely projecting pedals, and

separate devices for transmitting motion from each pair of crank-arms to one of the valves as the corresponding shaft is rocked in reverse directions by its pedals.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this. twenty-eight day of January, 1930.

I HERBERT G. BEEDE. 

